Name: Avocado Caprese Chicken Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 boneless skinless chicken breast; salt & pepper to season chicken; 1/2 cup of halved fresh mozzarella balls; 1 avocado, diced; 6 cups of fresh spring mix salad; 1/2 cup of halved cherry tomatoes; 1/4 cup of fresh diced basil; 1 garlic clove, minced; 1 teaspoon of dry basil; 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard; 1 tablespoon of lemon juice; 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar; 1/4 cup of olive oil; salt & pepper to taste

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★★★★★ 4.9 from 19 votes

15 Minute Avocado Caprese Chicken Salad drizzled with a light Balsamic Vinaigrette. This quick & easy dinner recipe is a fan favorite! Seared chicken, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and creamy avocados topped with shredded basil. A light refreshing chicken salad recipe that’s perfect for summer!

Table of Contents
What Is Caprese Salad?
What do you eat Caprese Salad with?
How to make the BEST Avocado Caprese Chicken Salad?
Can Caprese Salad be made ahead of time?
Get the Recipe

Avocado Caprese Chicken Salad

Ok, y’all we are officially kicking off salad week here at Joyful Healthy Eats.

We got through Easter week and since bikini season is right around the corner, salads seem to become the meal of choice. This Avocado Caprese Chicken Salad may be my new favorite though. You guys know I’m all about salads, I’d have them everyday if I could. (but the hubbie wouldn’t be too thrilled with that) The best part about this Caprese Salad is it takes only 15 minutes to make, and most of that is the cook time for the chicken!

What Is Caprese Salad?

Caprese Salad is an Italian Salad made with fresh mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, fresh basil and then seasoned with olive oil and salt. Traditionally it is not topped with balsamic vinegar, but over the years a balsamic reduction has been served with it.

What do you eat Caprese Salad with?

Make a Caprese Toast – add some smashed avocado to it and you’ve got yourself breakfast!
Caprese Frittata – add all your favorite caprese ingredients to an egg mixture and make a frittata with it!
Top it on a Pizza – this simple pizza is one of my favorites, drizzle it with a balsamic reduction and it’s a show stopper!
Add the Caprese ingredients to Chicken or Beef.
Make a Caprese Sandwich – warm caprese sandwiches are the best because the cheese is all melty, add some protein to make it more hearty!

Those are just a few ideas when it comes to using the famous Caprese flavors, but honestly the possibilities are endless.

In today’s recipe we basically put all those same Caprese flavors and threw them in a salad. But I added chicken and some avocado.. because let’s be real… everything is better with avocado!

How to make the BEST Avocado Caprese Chicken Salad?

To make the balsamic dressing: in a small bowl, mix garlic, dry basil, dijon mustard, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Slowly add in olive oil, whisking the entire time until there is no more oil & vinegar separation. Set aside.
Heat grill to medium high heat. Add seasoned chicken breast to grill and cook for 5-6 minutes per side until there is no more pink.
In a large bowl add spring mix, avocado, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh mozzarella balls, and sliced grilled chicken.
Serve with balsamic vinaigrette

Can Caprese Salad be made ahead of time?

In all honesty, probably not because the basil will start to wilt or brown. Caprese Salad is at it’s best when it’s made fresh. If you have leftovers, eat them. It will not keep well the next day!

One of my fun tips when making this salad is to use a salad spinner when cleaning the lettuce. It takes seconds and it’s easy clean up.

I cannot wait to hear what you guys think. This is actually an older recipe that I thought needed a facelift on photos. The first time I made it, Cason was too little to eat it but this time he did and let me tell you, my 7 year old son devoured every last bit of it. (even the remaining lettuce on his plate)

I knew that starting off “salad week” it needed to be with a bang and once you try it I think you’ll agree. It’s definitely a light refreshing bang of flavor!

Bon Appetit friends!